Aurora's Emporium
Founded by Aurora Silversalt and originally named Silversalt Trading Company Aurora's Emporium is a massively successful trading and delivery service based in Faerun. Below is Aurora's own introduction to the company and the services rendered. Welcome to Aurora’s Emporium! You are about to embark on the finest shopping experience in all of Faerun. I am pleased to bring you the widest selection of impeccable merchandise available anywhere on the continent. No doubt you've already thumbed through the pages of this catalogue and admired my wide variety of goods and their lavish descriptions and illustrations. My small staff of scribes and artists has spent countless hours preparing this tome for duplication. A second staff of apprentice mages spends its days magically copying and distributing these volumes to my catalogue outlets. I regret that my catalogues cannot leave the outlets, as public distribution has proven too expensive, but be assured that each outlet is furnished with enough copies so there is never a wait to browse. How Aurora’s Emporium Works For those of you who are new to my catalogue bazaar, let me explain how my system operates. My agents and I purchase goods from traveling peddlers, wholesalers, individual craftspersons, and a long list of reputable merchants. I never knowingly buy from the black market; my divination spells ensure this! Merchandise is shipped in from the four corners of Faerun to my central warehouse, the location of which is a well-guarded secret (Incidentally, I move my entire warehouse about once a year to ensure the security of its location.) My catalogue outlets are sprinkled across the continent, in all major cities. Currently, I have six outlets in Waterdeep alone! New outlets are opening monthly—if you’re not near a convenient location now, chances are good that another will open soon! When your order is taken at one of my outlets, it is placed in a batch with other orders from the outlet. Every morning and every evening, orders are teleported to the central warehouse, where the merchandise is picked and batched. My staff assembles an outlet’s orders; then, using magical platforms of teleportation, the orders are shipped to their respective stores. Especially large orders or items are frequently reduced in size magically, then enlarged at the destination. Orders typically arrive at the outlets in two to three days. Outlet staff can advise you on current shipping trends. Shipping times may be slightly longer near major holidays—plan ahead! Orders are processed in the order they are received. The exception to this rule is disaster relief—if a locale is ravaged by fire or flood, for example, their orders for food, blankets, clothing, etc. are always filled first. Again, outlet staff can advise you if such conditions exist. Ordering Instructions Order forms are available at all catalogue outlets. My trained staff will assist you and advise you. For all orders, a 25% deposit is required when the order is placed. (Certain items require payment in full when ordering—refer to individual item descriptions.) Your deposit is cheerfully refunded if an item is out of stock. If you don’t see it, ask! Frequently, I have merchandise in stock that hasn't found its way into an updated catalogue. When your merchandise arrives, you may examine it at the outlet before completing your purchase. If it does not meet with your satisfaction, you may reject the shipment and your deposit will be refunded. Once the merchandise leaves the premises, however, we cannot accept any returns or exchanges. Unless prior arrangements are made, orders are stored at an outlet for 14 days. After that time, merchandise is returned to the warehouse and the deposit is forfeited. Rush Delivery —If you require same-day delivery on your merchandise, we can usually accommodate your needs. A nonrefundable surcharge of 15% is added to your order. Substitutions We occasionally substitute merchandise pictured in the catalogue. If the exact item is unavailable, a similar item may be shipped. You always have the option to examine and refuse such items. Color Selections When purchasing clothing or fabrics, outlet staff will have a list of colors available in addition to those listed in the catalog entries. If these colors do not suit your needs, consider using our dyeing service. For an additional 10% fee, have your garment or fabric dyed to order from our extensive collection of common and exotic dyes. A swatch booklet is available at all outlets to assist you in your selection. Please allow 3-4 extra days for these special orders. Work For Hire When visiting catalogue outlets, please check the notice board for job postings. I am frequently in need of novice mages for mundane spellcasting, hired muscle to serve as caravan escorts, or sometimes groups of intrepid adventurers to hunt down lost shipments or locate an obscure item. I pay handsomely, commensurate with the danger and difficulty of a task. I’m extremely proud of the selection and quality of merchandise I can offer you. I hope you’ll be surprised and delighted by my catalogue bazaar!